Gold is not hard to clean, but the exact cleaning method you choose should depend on whether your gold rings have gemstones or not.
Cleaning and Caring for White Gold Rings
Caring for white gold rings is a bit trickier compared with caring for rings made of yellow gold or platinum. The reason has to do with how white gold is made: It consists of yellow gold mixed with white metals and covered with plating (usually rhodium) to hide the yellowish color of the resulting alloy. Because of the composition of white gold, caring for rings made of it is not only about cleaning them but also about preserving their rhodium plating.
If white gold is polished too often, its rhodium plating will wear off quickly.
To clean your white gold ring, follow the steps outlined below:
1. Prepare a cleaning solution by mixing mild soap and warm water. Do not use detergents that contain chlorine or other harsh chemicals.
2. Soak your white gold ring in the solution for 20-30 minutes.
3. Gently rub the ring using a soft cloth or a soft brush to remove any dirt.
4. Rinse the ring with lukewarm water to remove any soap residue.
5. Dry the white gold ring with a clean towel.
Tip: If your ring is especially dirty, you can add several drops of ammonia to the water.
Alternatively, you can use a jewelry cleaner that can be used on white gold.
Important: Do not use any abrasive substances to scrub your white gold ring so as not to damage its plating. While rhodium coating is pretty durable and is unlikely to wear off from a single cleaning session, repeatedly using harsh materials on white gold will have a noticeable effect on its surface.
Cleaning White Gold Rings with Gemstones
If your white gold ring has stones that are durable (e.g., diamonds), you can clean it using the method described above.
However, there are softer and less durable gemstones that should not be soaked in water and soap for a long time (for example, pearls or onyx stones).
If your white gold ring has such gemstones, or if you are not sure how your stones should be cleaned, do not submerge the piece in the cleaning solution.
Instead, dip a soft cloth in the soapy water, and rub the metal parts of the ring gently. You can clean the gemstones by wiping them carefully with a damp cloth.
Alternatively, you can use a more versatile jewelry cleaning and polishing kit like this one, which will work on a wide range of jewelry materials — just make sure that the one you get can be used on the metals and gemstones you have.
Keeping Your White Gold Ring Safe
Remove your white gold ring when doing housework so as not to expose your jewelry to harsh chemicals.
This is especially true if you are doing cleaning using chlorine-based detergents. Chlorine is a chemical that can have a damaging effect on white gold over time and can cause your ring’s parts to wear down faster.
Since you can also find chlorine in tap water and swimming pools, don’t wear your white gold ring while taking a shower or swimming.
What to Do If Your White Gold Ring Is Scratched
If your ring is scratched, you can always take it to a jeweler and have its scratches polished out. However, if white gold is polished too often, its rhodium plating will wear off quickly. If this happens, you can have the ring replated with rhodium for a fee.
Sooner or later every white gold piece needs to have its coating restored, but how fast the plating will wear off depends on how often you wear and polish your ring.
Cleaning Plain Yellow Gold Rings
Gold rings without gemstones can be cleaned effectively with only water and soap.
Keep in mind that gold is a soft metal and scratches easily.
1. Fill a small bowl with lukewarm water, and add some mild dish soap to prepare a simple cleaning solution.
2. Soak your gold rings in the solution, and leave them in it for about 20-30 minutes. Use a soft brush or a soft cloth to clean dirt off the jewelry.
3. Rinse the soap residue off your gold rings with water.
4. Dry your jewelry with a clean towel. Since it might not be possible to wipe dry some hard-to-reach spots, leave the pieces to air dry completely before you put them on.
You can also use ammonia to clean your plain gold rings: Soak the pieces for about a minute in a solution of 1 part ammonia and 6 parts water, and then rinse them well with clean water before drying them with a soft cloth. However, do not use this method too frequently as it may discolor your jewelry.
Cleaning Gold Rings with Gemstones
If your gold ring has gemstones, it is not recommended to soak it in water. Although some durable stones such as diamonds are not easy to damage, there are a lot of gems that should not be soaked in water for a long time (for example, emerald or onyx).
Follow these steps to clean gold rings with gemstones:
1. Prepare a solution of lukewarm water and mild dish soap.
2. Take a soft cloth, dip it in the solution to dampen it, and then clean the gemstones and the metal parts of your gold ring. Be gentle when rubbing the stones so as not to damage them.
3. After your jewelry has been cleaned, wipe the soap residue off your rings with a soft cloth that has been dampened with water only.
4. Wipe the clean pieces dry, and then leave them to air dry completely.
Polishing Gold Rings
You can polish your gold ring using a jewelry polishing cloth that you can buy at the store. You can also have your gold rings polished by a jeweler.
Keep in mind, however, that you shouldn’t have gold polished too often: Since this process involves using abrasive materials, it removes a thin surface layer off your gold rings. This is why extensive polishing will wear down your gold rings quickly.
Wearing Your Gold Rings Safely
Do not wear your gold rings in the shower. Also, remove them when swimming. The chlorine in tap and pool water can discolor your gold and damage your rings’ parts.
Do not do any housework with your gold rings on as bleach and other chemicals used in household cleaners can damage your jewelry.
Keep in mind that gold is a soft metal and scratches easily. That’s why you should not wear your gold rings during any activities that may expose them to the risk of hits or blows.
Storing Gold Rings
Store your gold rings separately from other jewelry as most other metals can scratch gold easily. It’s best to keep your gold rings in small pouches or in a separate jewelry box.
